Scope choice. How could that be....

[Scouty]

Scouty,

I have not really explored scopes with less than 3x magnification at the bottom end, as 3x that usually provides me with what I need for my shooting scenarios.

However, looking through my Scope Specs List of short and 3-9x/ 3-12x scopes (attached below), I find a few that have a rather wide FoV.

All of the following have 10y side parallax, a holdoff reticle, are under $500, and unless otherwise noted, have exposed turrets.



FFP:

Swampfox Kentucky Long 2-12x44 FFP | FoV 54ft | OAL 12.4" | Reticle grid style





SFP:

Hawke Airmax 30 Touch (No. 13260) 3-12x32 SFP | FoV 64ft | OAL 10.5" | Small objective might mean small eye box | Eye relief 1.2"! | Capped turrets

Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact (No. 13200) 3-12x44 SFP | FoV 44ft | OAL 10.9"

MTC Viper Connect 3-12x24 —or— 3-12x32 SFP | FoV 61ft | OAL 11.3" | Small objective might mean small eye box

Bushnell Engage 2.5-10x44 SFP | FoV 44ft | OAL 13.5"

Discontinued recently (someone still might have it): Nikko Stirling C-More X10 2-20x44 SFP | FoV 47ft | OAL 13.3"





I hope you find what you're looking for!

Matthias

Attachment: Scope Specs List for Short/light scopes — and 3-12x/ 3-9x

View attachment SCOPE SPECS TABLE. For Short Scopes -and- 3-12x 3-9x Magnification. 047. 2020-11. TABLE.16114...pdf

Many of those scopes have at least gotten my attention in the past. Almost all certainly due to you & your well done tables.

I'm going to look at them again just in case there is something that warrants a second look.

Thank you.

 

[Odoyle]

Sale for MARCH SCOPES ENDS TODAY!

They RARELY go on sale!



https://www.scopelist.com/march-scopes.aspx

https://www.longrangesupply.com/store4/index.php?route=product/product&path=26&product_id=2562

https://www.tactical-store.com/march-optics-brand.html

https://www.eurooptic.com/March-Scopes.aspx

https://www.opticsplanet.com/march-optics-riflescopes.html

I would choose Optics Planet as a LAST RESORT since they take FOREVER nowdays.

 

[steve123]

There's such a wide range of shooters on this forum that at both extreme ends of the spectrum we almost can't relate to each other in our needs/wants in a rifle scope!

I was the guy that was raised with inexpensive scopes and they met my needs back then. I was hunting and plinking inside 25Y with springers, smallest target was an army man and those were 15 to 20Y away. Mostly 1970's 4x and 2-7 and 3-9 scopes were used. These didn't even have adjustable parallax, also these were all capped coin slot turrets. If I had never transitioned into competitions I wouldn't have appreciated other types of scopes. 

As I got older I started Prairie Dog hunting at longer ranges, all of a sudden weight wasn't an issue and I needed more magnification. Those previous scopes mentioned above had reticles as thick or thicker than a PD was at 300 yards so they weren't cutting it anymore.

Then I got into Silhouette comps, I needed target turrets and fixed power scopes were what people used with 16x and up high magnification scopes. 

It was when I got into Tactical and Field Course matches that I realized the need for FFP 5-25's and such. Max versatility was what "paid off", literally and pun intended. 

In FT it's easier to get a good range with 50x scopes but one guy I know does great with 24x.

If I "had too" I could tolerate the cheapest scopes for informal types of shooting. But at a certain point depending on what types and levels of competition we're involved in we'll need to step up to $$$ level of scope by at least getting a scope that tracks well, etc. 

I can think of one cheap scope that I would be fine with right now. I haven't bought a scope for PFT yet, and since I'll only be shooting to 35Y, and since I'll be using holds, a Bugbuster 3-12 would be fine. 

As a experiment I bought a super cheap scope on sale at Big5. Sure enough it wouldn't track worth a darn. It came with a red dot sight which would not hold zero. I went and got my $$ back.

There is a luxury to expensive scopes. They are very refined in every way, track well, and do the job exceptionally. Is it necessary to have that level - well not all the time, but they sure are a pleasure to have and you can count on them to hold up. In the top levels of centerfire competition the prizes are big money so paying for the best scopes is definitely worth the money.

 

[tsp3355]

Since starting my airgun journey about a hundred years ago I've owned scopes in every tier from more than 30 different OEMs. I started with an Air Force Talon and a ~$100 UTG scope. Both worked fine for my primary use at the time which was pesting out to about 50 yards. I recently sold a Nightforce ATACR F1 that I had on my RAW because it was like going squirrel hunting with a rocket launcher. I sold the NF on Snipers Hide because that scope belongs on a high-end powder burner, just like the ZCO I have sitting on my custom competition rifle. The ZCO is by far the best scope I've ever owned and I can routinely make 1500 yard shots with it on my competition rig. It cuts through mirage like a hot knife through butter and the only thing I've seen close to it in low light is my Leuopld Mark 5. Would I put in on an airgun? Never say never, but highly unlikely. I ordered the new Arken SH4 to put on my RAW. Still waiting on it to be delivered, but that should be more than enough scope for a gun I never shoot much past 120 yards.

Until the Arken arrives, the lowest end scope I currently own is Athlon Midas BTR Gen 2 that sits on my Crown, but in my experience if you are going to rely on hold over/under where you don't have to depend on the elevation turret adjustments being precise there isn't really a lot of justification to spend more than $300 on an airgun scope unless you plan to routinely shoot beyond 150 yards. I prefer to dial my elevation adjustments, so I spend a bit more to get reliable tracking.

The sale of the Nightforce funded the purchases of a new Walther Q5 SF competition pistol, a red dot for it, and the Arken with some spare change left over. Seems like a better use of the funds to me.